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Earlier this year Melbourne theatrical director Bryce Ives established Melbourne Musicals – a new company that created quite a buzz around theatre circles for it’s first production You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. As its name suggests, the company produces only musical theatre and is keen to focus on Melbourne talent despite beginning with a Broadway show.

Ives, who has already built up impressive directing credits across Victoria at the age of 24, has begun work directing the new Australian production of Call Girl the Musical. Written by lead actor Tracy Harvey, Call Girl is a new Australian piece that will also star Neighbours’ Alan Fletcher and feature the voices of Bert Newton and Steve Vizard.

Ives says the biggest learning experience from the debut show was the need to offer a sense of familiarity to the audience, which the little-known Charlie Brown and young but talented cast lacked. While Call Girl will be all new, the familiarity factor will come from casting a well-known comedian in Harvey, an actor from prime-time television, and giving Hunters and Collectors’ Jack Howard control of the music arrangement.

“Most of the time people are coming to leave their cares and troubles at the door,” Ives says.

“You want to feel good at the end. A new show has to have a really good story, likeable characters and enough of the conventions of musical theatre for it to work. The biggest criticisms you get of new shows is `well, it was okay but there were no shows that I came out humming at the end’. That’s why Lloyd Webber is very smart, because he uses the same bits of music again and again.”

Proving once again that there is no correct formula, Ives points out Spamalot closed early in Melbourne after poor ticket sales. Based on Monty Python’s Holy Grail movie, the story and characters were familiar to fans, at least three songs stick in your head afterwards and key music is repeated.

Ives, who recently visited London and took in a few shows including the award-winning version of Spamalot, says the context is different. Where London does pantomime and audience interaction well, Australian fans prefer a spectacle.

“Spamalot just didn’t work here at all. And it wasn’t that the cast wasn’t good. It’s all about context. In London it was laugh a minute, here there were a few funny moments.”

Revivals and jukebox compositions may be popular, but Ives sees other interesting trends emerging in recent years. The movie musical has taken off, which has been attributed to Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge in 2001. Since then, Chicago, The Producers, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia! have trod from the boards to the silver screen.

“It’s kind of built into the Broadway thinking these days, if something’s being revived does it have a life in the movies,” Ives says.

“Mamma Mia!‘s been a really good example. It’s getting back to that really old attitude of the 1940s and ’50s when it wasn’t musical theatre stars who necessarily played the lead role. It was kind of the star of the day. Pierce Brosnan can hardly hold a note, but he kind of worked in that role [in Mamma Mia!].”

In a time when the star of the day changes with the latest reality television show, what better way of choosing an actor to play a lead character? And what better way to introduce them to a new audience, such as the younger generations? Lloyd Webber certainly thinks reality television is the way to go, casting Maria for his West End revival of The Sound of Music through a 12-week show. A follow-up series, Any Dream Will Do, included Barry Humphries as a judge selecting an actor to play Joseph for Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat.

“So that’s provided an interesting spin on a traditional musical and bringing it to a new audience, and also unearthing new talent,” Ives says.

“But at the moment if you looked at what’s on in London, it’s pretty much revivals, shows that we know and love, and jukebox musicals – songs we used to have sex to now with a loose story attached to them.

“Producing big, blockbuster, West End-style musicals on a first run is always destined for failure. New West End and new Broadway shows start small, and then they build. You’ve got people like Eddie Perfect, who is now writing Shane Warne the Musical. The way that started was kind of in the corner of Melbourne pubs and little cabaret venues. There’s more out there.”

In this weeks installment we meet the wonderful James Cutler, our very own Charlie Brown.

This segment has been produced by Rachel Cooper for Melbourne Channel 31′s long running arts program “Yartz” with Ralph McLean.

Charles M. Schulz’s famous Peanuts comic-strip characters Snoopy, Charlie, Lucy, Linus, Sally and Schroeder are all beautifully brought to life in Melbourne Musicals’ production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This warm-hearted musical is being presented until June 15 at the Cromwell Rd. Theatre, South Yarra.

Talented director Bryce Ives has assembled a top cast for this polished, slick, show. The highly skilled performers include Darryn Gatt (Snoopy). James Cutler (Charlie Brown), Matthew Perfect (Linus), Emma Caldwell (Lucy), Laura Burzacott (Sally) and Richard Hughes (Schroeder).

Jessica Barlow’s choreography is sharp and snappy, cleverly interlaced with showbiz pizzazz. The dance routines add another entertaining dimension to the portrayals of various little everyday moments ranging from optimism to despair, selected from the life of Charlie Brown.

Musical Director Adrian Portell’s Happiness Orchestra is terrific. They work offstage and deserve much applause for their great work. The effective sound design is by Marcello Lo Ricco and lighting by Karla Engdahl.

This energetic, crayon-bright show not only provides a wonderful performing vehicle for the talented cast and crew, but also offers audiences a happy, feel-good experience.  Congratulations to Bryce and his team.  Do try to see it before it finishes on June 15.

Performances:  June 11, 12, 13, 14 at 8pm, June 14 at 2pm and June 15 at 3pmVenue: Cromwell Rd. Theatre, 27a Cromwell Rd., South Yarra
Tickets:  Adults $33, Conc. $27, Ch. Under 12 $23. Bookings: www.moshtix.com.au or 1300 GETTIX

Review: Cheryl Threadgold

Melbourne Musical’s inaugural production, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, masterfully walks the fine line between childish and childlike to create a deceptively complex, yet charming piece of theatre.

You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, is a musical about a day in the life of renowned comic strip character, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang. More than just a bunch of adults playing kids, Charlie Brown is an adult investigation of a child’s wide-eyed view of the world. The kinds of challenges faced by the children in this show are not so different than the ones we face as adults, including finding acceptance, experiencing disillusionment and dealing with self-doubt.

Director, Bryce Ives, along with Associate Director, James Cook make a formidable team, crafting a production that puts the audience in touch with their inner child. I won’t spoil the magic for those of you who are yet to see the production, however expect to be transported from the moment you enter the foyer!

Almost everyone is familiar with the strong personalities of the Peanuts characters creating an extra challenge for both the directors and the actors that portray them. While the characterisations were a little slow coming through, I think this was mostly to do with the structure of the production. The comic strip style series of short scenes and monologues gave the actors little opportunity to develop their characters. However by the second act these reservations were gone and I was completely enamoured with all of the characters, even the exceptionally “crabby” Lucy.

James Cutler was adorable as Charlie Brown, alternately despairing and hopeful and wonderfully understated in a character that is easy to overplay. At the opposite end of that scale was Emma Caldwell who’s Lucy was overplayed to great effect. Suffering from a terrible case of “princess syndrome” she flits between simmering anger disguised behind a saccharin smile to full-blown violent out-bursts.

After playing a child in CLOC’s Blood Brothers last year, Laura Burzacott was well rehearsed to play the delightful Sally. Laura was probably the most convincing child in the cast, with her wide-eyed look and seemingly spontaneous performance. Her rendition of my favourite song from the show “My New Philosophy” did not disappoint.

Matt Perfect and Richard Hughes gave strong and convincing performances as Linus and Schroeder. While they didn’t exhibit the same level of stage presence as the other actors, they hopefully will have been observing the others and develop this further throughout the run.

Darryn Gatt captured Snoopy’s dry wit and loveable charm, delivering some of the shows funniest moments. One of the highlights of the show for me was Darryn’s showmanship in the musical number “Suppertime”. I was aware that Darren had a stunning voice, but was pleasantly surprised to see that he can also dance up a storm. This triumph however should be shared with Choreographer Jessica Barlow. Her Choreography was tight, snappy and seamlessly integrated into the action of the show – some of the best chore I have seen!

Being somewhat of a costume connoisseur, I was pleased to see designer Shana Nerenberg had been very true to the Peanuts cartoon. The costumes however seemed poorly fitted. While the intention may have been to make the characters appear smaller and more child-like, I think this was conveyed in other ways and the show would not have been any less effective with well-fitted costumes.

The band led by the scarily talented Music Director, Adrian Portell was tight and well-balanced. Adrian ably conducted the performers from off-stage with no evidence of the time lag which can sometimes happen when conducting via a monitor.

Melbourne Musicals should be commended for producing such a slick and professional production with their first attempt. I can’t wait to see what the company has in store for us next!

Emmalee’s passion for musical theatre developed in Warrnambool where she was in 18 productions before her 21st birthday. After moving to Perth to complete an Arts Management degree at WAPPA, she performed in Les Miserables and the King and I at the Regent Theatre. Since moving to Melbourne in 2005, Emmalee performed in a concert production of Ragtime with Monash University Choral Society, played the Bakers Wife in Into the Woods (MD Productions), played Maria in The Sound of Music (Altona City Theatre), went incognito as a pit singer in Cats (CLOC), played Frauline Kost in Cabaret (ARC) and was in the Producers with Whitehorse Musical Theatre.

In this weeks installment we see the Charlie Brown director, Bryce Ives, get slightly frustrated as the show quickly moves towards opening night.

This segment has been produced by Rachel Cooper for Melbourne Channel 31′s long running arts program “Yartz” with Ralph McLean.

A beloved cast of comic strip characters come to life to share their hopes, dreams and their angst-ridden-but-optimistic view of the world in the family musical “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” being presented at Cromwell Road Theatre South Yarra in June.

Clark Gesner’s play has charmed audiences for more than 40 years, and is based on characters created by cartoonist Charles Schulz in his prolific comic strip Peanuts, in which Charlie Brown worries about the small things as he searches for the true meaning of life.

But, to get the full enjoyment out of the Melbourne Musicals production of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!” you have to be willing to look at it through a child’s eye.

“The show is light-hearted, but also has some powerful underlying messages about love, happiness and standing up in the face of adversity,” says Bryce Ives, Director for Melbourne Musicals.

Praised by his friends, Charlie Brown is celebrated for his undying bravery, triumph and honour. Confused by their accolades, the ever-shy Charlie Brown keeps his focus on successfully flying a kite, winning the ball game and sharing lunch with the cute red-headed girl at school. To make matters worse, Charlie is constantly antagonised by the utterly clever and devious Lucy. Other characters include the lazy dreamer Snoopy, adorable Sally and insightful Linus, who all contribute to Charlie’s perspective.

“This is the first in a series of major productions scheduled for Melbourne Musicals over the coming two years. Melbourne Musicals aims to present productions that are original, innovative and entertaining,” says Ives.

Tickets are available online through:

www.moshtix.com.au

or by phoning 1300 GET TIX (438 849)

Tickets:
Kids (under 12 years) $23
Kids at Heart (Concession and Students) $27
Big Kids (Adults) $33

For further information about the production: interviews, opening night tickets, photos or further information please contact our Company Director – Bryce Ives on 0412 152 610 or e-mail melbournemusicals@gmail.com.

There are two musicals opening in Melbourne this June. One is a multi-million dollar production of a world-wide hit that features witches. The other is being put together on a budget that extends only as far as a few credit card limits and features a bunch of five year olds. And their dog.

But a night out to You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown will cost you about half the price of tickets to Wicked, and the added benefit is some of Ballarat’s finest young talent will be on display.

Director Bryce Ives, who has set up the company Melbourne Musicals, actors Laura Burzacott and Richard Hughes, and stage manager Michael Cooper are all products of the Ballarat theatre scene, and make up nearly half the small cast and crew of Charlie Brown.

The show is a day in the life of Charlie Brown and other beloved characters from the world of Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz – Sally, Lucy, Linus and his blanket, Schroeder and Snoopy are all there. Ives says the show is non-linear, but features all the staples of the comic strips, with a baseball game Charlie successfully loses, Lucy’s psychology stand and Snoopy on his kennel pontificating. The world of the five-year-olds is crayon coloured and bright, with drama and humanity mixed in the comedy, music and dance.

“Really, it’s like a whole heap of comic strips put together into a show,’’ Ives says.

“It like the world from a perspective of a child. It’s very old-fashioned, it’s pre-TV.

“There’s drama in everything, being a five-year-old and having your blanket taken away from you is a rather serious matter. Our challenge is to make these seemingly trivial issues actually have real elements of drama in them, because we want the show to be more than one-dimensional.’’

Ives has been in love with Charlie Brown since hearing the 1998 cast recording, and raved about it to Cooper and Burzacott and other Ballarat theatre stalwarts Constance Coward-Lemke and Andrew Seeary. He says this year the timing was perfect to reunite with Cooper and Burzacott to perform the show, while Hughes, a fourth Ballarat talent, was also cast.

“Quite a few of us have found ourselves back on this journey again, we’ve all gone on our different paths and now we’re back,’’ Ives says.

“It just so happens that everyone was available, but when you are forming your ideal team and your dream team these names came up.’’

Along with full-time work with the ABC, Ives has directed plays in Geelong and Melbourne, while Cooper has spent the past three years in Melbourne working in a school drama department. Burzacott has spent more than four years working hard to break into the Melbourne theatre scene, winning roles in Sweet Charity, The Witches of Eastwick, Rent, and Blood Brothers, among others. She works 38 hours and trains 25 hours a week, and she says that while it gets tiring she is passionate about her craft.

She is also delighted to be playing Sally Brown, and says the six cast members have grown close during the seemingly endless Sunday rehearsals.

“We have become very close, very much in tune with each other,’’ she says.

“It’s going to be fabulous. I love the start, as soon as I hear the overture I love it.’’

Ives and Cooper worked together in various Ballarat productions, and were instrumental in forming Theatre Movement in the 1990s. Working on as many as six shows a year, they would have to balance the money earners with more indulgent and adventurous projects. In Charlie Brown they have a loved Broadway musical that delivers family fun, but with a small enough cast of six to take a few risks.

Cooper, who now works at a Melbourne school and has a wife and young son, says he would not have bothered being the stage manager if Ives was doing a standard show such as My Fair Lady.

“We don’t have to do it just for the money,’’ Cooper says.

Ives says the long-term future for Melbourne Musicals is to perform relatively obscure musicals and to promote new talent and original works.

“We want to bring an Australian voice to musical theatre, the irony is we are doing an American show to begin with,’’ he laughs.

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown will be performed between Saturday June 7 and Sunday June 15 Cromwell Road Theatre, South Yarra. For bookings visit www.moshtix.com.au or call 1300 GET TIX.

In this weeks installment we see the Charlie Brown cast learning the dance routine for My Blanket and Me.

This segment has been produced by Rachel Cooper for Melbourne Channel 31′s long running arts program “Yartz” with Ralph McLean.

In this video see how the Charlie Brown team ticks!
(As seen on Melbourne Channel 31′s long running arts program “Yartz” with Ralph McLean)

This video was produced by Rachel Cooper.

The Peanuts Gang had a wonderful launch of the new Melbourne Musicals production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!

Charlie Brown even recorded a webcam invitation to the event, which you can watch here:

Chloe Green took some happy snaps at the event….

Laura Burzacott (Sally Brown) and Darryn Gatt (Snoopy)

Gerard Lane and James Cutler (Charlie Brown)

Director Bryce Ives with the cast of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Director Bryce Ives speaking at the launch.